Sunday, September 14, 2008

Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line

ON FURTHER REVIEW:Albums of Note

BragginBilly here, Ra Ra Riot(they of the rock n' roll cello) has been a favorite of this blog since Ryan and I first caught them opening for The Editors last year. I've seen them a couple times since and they consistently put on a great show.

The New one from one of Our Favorites:

Recently we had the chance to sit down and listen to Ra Ra Riot's latest effort, The Rhumb Line. For the uninitiated: this LP offers up a handful of reproduced tracks already offered up on Ra Ra Riot's self-titled debut EP distributed last year. (The 'old' tracks sound fantastic - even better this time around!) The remainder of the songs on this full-length album are all new. This visit to the studio brought some great new textures to the music. One much improved aspect on the new record: listeners hear a lot more of Mathieu Santos' work on the bass, which is just outstanding.

BEST OF WHATS TO COME - New songs like St. Peter's Day Festival stay within their own unique sound while the dominant "80s style" keyboards in Too Too Too Fast is a bit of a departure - but a good one, sounding just a bit like the New Pornographers.

Having signed to Barsuk Records (Death Cab for Cutie, Mates of State) earlier this year - the band are finally getting some well-deserved backing these days. And while Ra Ra Riot are technically a Syracuse, NY band, but you wouldn't know it from the following that their frequent Boston shows have earned them. At this point, Ra Ra Riot pretty much have a home-field advantage wherever they go.

Folks here in Boston can catch them in the Downstairs Room at the Middle East on October 18. Don't miss out!